Eligibility

To be eligible to live in Student Housing at UBC, you must meet the following criteria:

• Meet the academic credit load requirements for your degree level.
• Be in good standing with UBC and Student Housing.
• Meet the age requirements for your assigned residence.

There are additional requirements for eligibility to live in Student Family Residence and Summer Residence—and for arriving early.

Plus, learn more about how changes in your academic status (i.e., leave of absence, co-op or exchange term, program completion or withdrawal) might affect your eligibility and what action you might need to take.

Academic credit load requirements

Program eligibility

Program eligibility for undergraduate and graduate students.

Eligible programs

Eligible programs award a degree upon successful completion (i.e., Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctorate/PhD).

Ineligible programs

Ineligible programs do not award a degree upon program completion:

• Non-degree Studies—i.e., Access Studies, Unclassified Studies and Visiting Studies, including Visiting International Research Students (VIRS/VISI)
• Certificate and Diploma programs
• Postdoctoral Studies*

*Except at Green College or St. John’s College, where Postdoctoral Studies are eligible programs.

Registration in the Winter Session (September–April)

Undergraduate students must maintain sufficient registration between September and April to be eligible to live in residence, as detailed below—including students with Year Round or Summer Residence contracts.

• Winter Session Residence
• Year Round Residence
• Summer Residence

Winter Session Residence

Students offered a contract in Winter Session residence must register and maintain sufficient enrolment in the Winter Session that occurs during their contract period.

For example, if you are offered an 8-month contract from September 2026 to April 2027, you must register in sufficient coursework between September 2026 and April 2027.

Year Round Residence

Students offered a contract in Year Round residence must register and maintain sufficient enrolment in the Winter Session that occurs during their contract year.

For example, if you are offered a 12-month contract from May 2025 to April 2026, you must register in sufficient coursework between September 2025 and April 2026.

Summer Residence

Students offered a contract in Summer Residence must be registered in sufficient coursework during the Summer Session or have been registered in sufficient coursework in Term 2 of the preceding Winter Session.

Learn more about eligibility for Summer Residence.

Good standing

Being in “good standing” generally means that you have complied with all your financial and contractual obligations.

Specifically, at UBC and for Student Housing, to be eligible to live in residence, you must:

• Be in good financial standing with UBC and Student Housing, with no outstanding fees or accounts in arrears—and no history of any UBC accounts (i.e., tuition, housing, etc.) being sent to collections.
• Be in good contractual standing with Student Housing regarding your conduct in residence and compliance with your residence contract.

Please note that Student Housing reserves the right to deem a student ineligible for current or future residence contract offers based on past financial or conduct-related concerns.

Age Requirements

You must meet the minimum age requirement for the unit type you’re applying for.

However, you do not need to meet the minimum age requirement when you apply. You must meet the age requirement by December 31 of the year you move in.

For example, if you are applying in October 2025, and you are hoping to start a contract in September 2026, you only need to meet the minimum age requirement by December 31, 2026.

Age requirements by residence and/or room type

First Year residence areas

• Residences: Orchard Commons, Place Vanier and Totem Park.
• Room types: shared, connected single and single traditional rooms.

Minimum age requirement: no minimum age requirement.

However, you must be entering UBC directly from high school / CEGEP—or have taken maximum one “gap year” and not attended any other post-secondary studies during that year.

If you will be under the age of 17 when you begin your first year of studies at UBC, please contact us after you apply for UBC and/or student housing to discuss your housing options further.

Single room in a shared unit

Two to Six Bedroom units—including townhouse units.

Minimum age requirement: 19 years old.

However, if you resided in first year residence at UBC in the previous year, you are eligible for any shared unit type, regardless of the minimum age requirement.

Self-contained units

Studios or One Bedroom suites—including Nano suites.

Minimum age requirement: 19 years old.

Please note that consideration for Studio and One bedroom units in Thunderbird Residence and one bedroom units in Exchange given first to students 25+ years old.

Student Family Residence

Learn more about age requirements for Student Family Residence.

Changes in academic status

Learn more about what it means for your housing eligibility and what action to take if you experience a change to your academic status due to a leave of absence, co-op or exchange term, program completion or withdrawal.

Leaves of absence

If I take a leave of absence, am I still eligible?

Medical, personal or professional leaves of absence

During the Winter Session (September–April)

If you are taking a medical, personal or professional leave of absence from your academic program during the Winter Session (September–April), you are not eligible to live in Student Housing, since you will no longer meet the academic eligibility requirements.

Action required: if you are no longer eligible due to a leave of absence, you must submit a contract cancellation request in the SHCS Online Service Centre. Please note that your cancellation may be subject to cancellation fees.

During the Summer Session (May-August)

If you are taking a medical, personal or professional leave of absence from your academic program during the Summer Session (May–August), your eligibility is not affected, and you remain eligible to live in Student Housing.

Parental leave of absences—Acadia Park residents

If you live in Student Family Residence at Acadia Park, you are eligible to continue living in residence for the duration of a faculty-approved parental leave of absence.

Action required: As soon as you receive it, please email a copy of your approved parental leave letter, including the approved leave dates, to the SHCS Main Office.

• Undergraduate students: this letter should be provided by your faculty.
• Graduate students: this letter should be provided by G+PS.

Co-op or exchange terms

If I go on a co-op or exchange term, am I still eligible?

Yes, if you go on a UBC-approved co-op or exchange term, you remain eligible to hold a contract with Student Housing, as long as your registration in the co-op or exchange is reflected on your UBC student account by the add/drop deadline (for the term your co-op/exchange occurs in).

If your co-op term is local, you can continue to live in your room/unit.

If your co-op or exchange term is not local:

• During the Summer Session (May–August), you can sublet your room/unit.
• During the Winter Session (September–April), you are not permitted to sublet your room/unit. Learn more about your options.

Program completion

I need fewer than nine (9) credits to complete my program. Do I still need to take nine to stay eligible for student housing?

If you’re in your final term and need to take fewer than 9 credits to complete your degree requirements, we may be able to approve an exception, so that you only need to take the minimum credit requirement for that term.

Action required: please email us a copy of the confirmation letter from your faculty that indicates how many required credits you have left to complete your program.

I would like to continue living on-campus for a short time after I complete my program. Can I stay in residence?

Depending on your circumstances and the time of year, if you live in Year Round Residence, you might be able to stay in residence—either your current room or a new one—for a short duration after completing your program.

Common scenarios include:

• You’re completing your program in April, but you want to stay living on-campus until your graduation ceremony.
• You’re completing your program in April, but you want to stay living on-campus for the remainder of the summer.
• You’re completing your program partway through the summer, but you want to stay living on-campus for the entire summer.

Learn more about applicable deadlines and action you need to take.

Withdrawals

I am withdrawing / being withdrawn from my academic program. Can I continue living in residence for a short time afterward?

After your official withdrawal date, you will no longer be eligible to live in Student Housing.

How long you can continue living in residence depends on several factors, including the timing of the withdrawal and whether it is a voluntary or required by your faculty or program.

Learn more about cancelling your contract and when you will need to move out.